Pastor Dan shared from Genesis 2:1-3 where God establishes a day of rest called Sabbath. It is important to note that this Sabbath of rest is set aside before the law and the ten commandments was given. It was later incorporated into the laws given the Israelites with punishment for those who disregarded the day.
As Christians we also have the privilege of observing the Sabbath although we are not under the law of Moses we do live by a higher law. Many Christians say that since it was under the law we no longer need to keep it but we must remember that it was established before the law was given. If this argument holds true then we should be able to disregard all the other commandments as well. Since no one believes that then we need to come to a mature understanding of exactly what it was that God intended when he set aside this day of rest.
Jesus words help to shed some light on the subject. When criticized for breaking the Sabbath by allowing his disciples to pick a few heads of wheat Jesus responded that the Sabbath was made for man and not man for the Sabbath. There are some religious groups that insist that the day be kept on Saturday and in a certain way. The Scribes, Pharisees and teachers of the law had over the years come up with 39 categories of prohibited actions for the Sabbath. Each category was then subdivided into more things not to do. It had become a burden and repressive and nearly impossible to keep.
Jesus came to free us from all the rules and regulations and brought us back to what was originally intended and that is relationship. Sabbath was a day for nurturing relationships both with God and with people.
This week I'll post some ways we as Christians can honor the Sabbath in a way that is pleasing to God. I am very interested in how creative we can be with the Sabbath. Leave a comment.
